Signs of Dancing
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to pass by a hall without realizing that dancing is happening inside? Good signage can change that. A simple banner, poster, or sandwich board out front can spark curiosity and invite people to learn more about square and round dancing.
Promotion doesn’t always have to be complicated. Sometimes the easiest steps are the most effective. When our dance locations are clearly marked, we send the message: This is where the fun happens.
Let’s take a fresh look at our halls and make sure they tell the story of who we are. With welcoming signs in place, more people will know where to find us — and perhaps take that first step onto the dance floor.
It's hard to believe that the end of the year is approaching again. I hope you and your family have a happy and healthy holiday season.
Click here to find out how to get your information into the OFN, including dances, lessons, photos, flyers, advertisements, and caller/cuer information.
We have set up an email mailing list to notify people when a new edition of the online OFN is available, and for other important news about the OFN. To subscribe to this mailing list, just fill out this information:
The next Federation meeting will be held on January 25, 2026, at Mid-Winter Festival.
The next Mid-Winter Festival, "Dancing Around the Clock," will be held in Albany on January 23-25, 2026, and will feature a 50s and 60s theme. Click on the thumbnail to get your registration form.
There is currently no Summer Festival scheduled for 2026. The Federation board is considering alternatives.
The latest news about the National Square Dance Conventions® is located in the National Squares magazine, produced by the NEC. You can find the latest issue here at National Squares.
The 75th National Square Dance Convention® will be held in Waco, Texas, June 24-27, 2026.
The Washington Summer Festival will be held in Ocean Shores, Washington, July 16-18, 2026.
The 2026 USAWest Convention will be held in Cedar City, Utah, August 5-8, 2026
The 76th National Square Dance Convention® will be held in Loveland, Colorado, June 23-26, 2027.
The 77th National Square Dance Convention® will be held in Daytona Beach, Florida, June 29-July 1, 2028.
All clubs in the Oregon Federation are required to maintain their status as non-profit corporations with the State of Oregon. The Secretary of State's office mails out a renewal notice about a month before your registration expires every year. The following clubs expire this month:
December 1 -- Charlie Brown Squares
December 5 -- Red Rock Squares
December 17 -- Sunset Promenaders
December 27 -- Silver City Squares
December 28 -- Buckeroo
Download a complete list of the Federation club dances this month, all sorted by date and city.
Everything in the When & Where is extracted from the state directory information. If you find that your club information is wrong, you can fix that by going to the directory information area and fixing your data.
Click on the title to see the article.
Is your closet bulging at the seams? Are you hankering to recycle some of your square dance or round dance clothes? Or, have you moved on and are no longer able to join in the festivities?
Well, Mid-Winter Festival is fast approaching. For many of you it provides an opportunity to recycle a few or many of those outfits taking up space in your closets. For others, it is a sad time when you are saying, “I just can’t dance anymore”, and you want someone else to enjoy those beautiful outfits you have received so much pleasure wearing over the years.
But first let’s look closely at some key tips to selling your clothing items at Mid-Winter Festival 2026. Follow closely the online instructions and email your list of items in by January 17, 2026.
Note: If you are having any problems completing the form online, then by all means hand write it and mail it in. We will input it to the computer for you. Please email or call Sheila for assistance.
If you snail mail your list, it must be received by January 10, 2026. Please, read the instructions very, very carefully.
Make sure the items are clean and in good repair. Square and Round dance clothing only, please.
Bring your items, listed by categories to simplify the tagging process for you at the consignment tables. Labels will be printed in the order that you have numbered them on the submission form.
If you have sets, keep/place them together. This will help you with the tagging process and may even help them to sell.
Please, be early to consignment. Be sure to check the hours and plan on Thursday afternoon (3:00 pm) or Friday morning (9:00 am) so they will be prominently placed on the racks for the opening sales activity Friday evening. As with so many activities it is getting more and more difficult to get volunteers to help. Resale Clothing is one of those areas that require a large number of volunteers to make it available for all the dancers.
We can no longer accept clothing items at the festival that were not listed for consignment before the input deadline.
But we hope you will utilize the online submission process. Or you can hand write it and send it to us. Just print out the input/submission sheet for completion by hand. We want to help you recycle the many beautiful outfits that you all have.
As I said earlier we require a large number of volunteers to assist during consignment and sale hours. We will accept any help, even if for just one hour. So, contact the chair for Resale Clothing – Sheila - and let her know you want to help.
Don’t forget to pick up your returns by 10:00 a.m. on Sunday morning.
For assistance, contact Sheila Machado at sheilainsalem@hotmail.com or, if you must, call my phone at 503-884-0158.
On behalf of our family, I wanted to send my heartfelt thanks to everyone that attended Jeanine's service on Saturday, the amount of people that showed their support and love was overwhelming and touched our hearts.
It is comforting to know that Jeanine touched so many people and that she made such a difference in so many lives.
We loved hearing the nice things people had to say and really enjoyed some of the stories that were shared; it gave us comfort in our time of sorrow.
I hope she lives on in the hearts of many of you and that she is celebrated for all that she was for years to come.
I personally would love to hear more stories about my mom, if anyone else would like to share them with me, please e-mail them to me at nts4nascar@yahoo.com
Thank you all again for attending.
Lora Webb
Jeanine Norden, long-time member of the Oregon round dance teaching community, passed away peacefully on October 28. We will post an obituary when one is available.
A benefit dance for animal shelters in honor of Jeanine will be held on Sunday, December 7, at 2 PM, at the Oak Grove Community Club. Flyer is here.
Peggy Vegas passed away November 3.
Peggy and Charlie owned R and M Signs for many years. They made badges and name tags for dancers and for businesses.
She was one of the people instrumental in acquiring the square dance center in Springfield. Charlie is the only person left from this small group of dance-minded people.
Peggy was also instrumental in the 1990 Mid-Winter festival named the Gay Nineties. I remember that the fairgrounds had the most elaborate and beautiful decorations at the fairgrounds in Eugene. Their outfits for this Mid-Winter were red and very fancy.
A small service was held November 7.
You can download this list of callers and cuers who are available and ready to call or cue a dance for you.
Callers:
Cuers:
These ORDTA members are willing to donate their time and knowledge to mentor new Cuers:
The Umpqua Area Council has chosen December 2025 Oregon Round of the Month:
"Lay Down Beside Me", Phase II+1 Waltz (Cross Hover), choreographed by Tom & Kathy Nickel. The song is performed by Don Williams on the album Anthology.
For more information on the Round of the Month, please contact .
Everything in this section is taken from the state directory information. If you find that your class information is wrong, you can fix that by going to the directory information area and picking to the "Lessons" tab.
December 5 (1st Fri)
December 6 (1st Sat)
December 6 (1st Sat)
December 7 (1st Sun)
December 14 (2nd Sun)
December 20 (3rd Sat)
December 21 (3rd Sun)
November 29 (5th Sat)
December 6 (1st Sat)
December 31 (5th Wed)
February 27 (4th Fri)
February 28 (4th Sat)
May 1 (1st Fri)
May 22 (4th Fri)
July 22 (4th Wed)
October 23 (4th Fri)Click a thumbnail to download the flyer.
Please support our advertisers, since they help support the magazine. Click a thumbnail to see the full advertisement.
Click a thumbnail to see the full-sized picture.
Click a council name to go directly to that section.
December 6 (1st Sat)
Peggy Vegas, wife of Charlie Vegas, passed away early November. Charlie and Peggy owned R and M Signs and made badges and name tags for dancers. Peggy and Charlie hosted a number of square/round dance cruises as well. Please keep Charlie in your thoughts and prayers. Charlie and Peggy lost a son to COVID in recent years.
Our final dance of the season is November 29 at the hall in Springfield. This dance is called and cued by members of CCCA and is always fun.
Our New Year's Eve Dance held at the Emerald Sqaure Dance Center is hosted by The Buccaneers with Roger and Linda Putzler and Christina Corelli. They welcome all callers and cuers to join them. There will be Pre-Rounds at 7:30 and at 8 until 10 there will be square dance tips with rounds. We end at 10 to allow folks a safe trip home before the rowdy crowd after midnight hits the road. They can also celebrate New Year's Eve with non-square dancers and/or family.
Our future dances in 2026 are January 31, May 30, August 29 with cake and ice cream for Christina's August 31st birthday and October 31, Halloween with costumes optional but always fun.
Happy calling and cueing,
Christina Corelli
On Nov. 9th we were so happy to have Dan Preedy call for us and welcomed another new addition to our numbers, Layhna Plagmann from Corvallis. We hope she will return. With all hands on deck we had exactly enough for two squares on the floor--so exciting as we haven’t seen that since before COVID! And such good dancing it was to a live caller such as Dan Preedy! We hope Dan will return next year when he comes to call in Portland.
In December we will dance on the 14th and 28th. We expect that the 14th will be a “go” but will have to see how many are available on Christmas weekend. In January because of Mid-Winter we will try to dance on Jan. 4 and Jan. 18.
We dance normally the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month from 1:30 to 3:30 in Hall B behind the dance center. Please call Fred Beisse if you are NOT on his email list for notifications as he will take a survey to see how many are available any given dance day and cancel if we cannot muster a square ro more. Please call (458) 221-3564. You can check our website at cas-sd.yolasite.com for tentative schedules and more information.
Keep on dancing, everyone,
Gaynor Hintz
You are invited to join us Sundays from 4 to- 6. It’s always casual dress and always fun!
Happy Dancing,
Christina Corelli
Whirl-A-Ways had a guest caller for their November 15 dance, Thomas Buchheit. Thomas is a young and up and coming caller who has been doing more and more these days. We welcomed Thomas and encouraged all dancers to join us. It was great fun!
We dance the third Saturdays of the month. At 7:00 we have Plus called by Roger Putzler and from 7:30 to 10:00 we have mainstream and rounds cued by Christina Corelli.
Happy Dancing,
Christina Corelli
We want to invite everyone to attend our New Dancers Dance on December 20, 5:00-7:30 p.m. at the McMinnville Grange, 1700 SW Old Sheridan Road. Bruce Lowther will be calling and Judy Russell will be cueing. Yellow Rocks!
Trena
December 20 (3rd Sat)
The new dancer dance will start at 1:00 p.m. and will be finished at 3:30 p.m. There will be several callers and cuers available for dancing. The ambassador booklets will gain signatures as the dancers work on earning their Mid-Willamette Area New Dancer Ambassador bar.
Marilyn
December 21 (3rd Sun)
Mid-Willamette Area Fall Festival will be hosted by the Timber Twirlers at the Salem Square Center on November 29. Area callers and cuers will challenge and entertain us. Don't miss it.
December 13 brings a Christmas party with special treats and surprises. We will start with a potluck dinner at 6:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Crowd favorite Craig Abercrombie will call and cue. We will not dance on December 27.
Plans are progressing for a gala New Year's Eve Grand Ball square dance at the Lebanon Senior Center. The evening will begin with an Italian-themed potluck dinner at 6:15 p.m. Square dancing will be from 6:45 to 10:00 p.m., with the ball dropping at 9:00 p.m. Ball gowns and men's formal wear will be admired for this fancier event but not required. The alliance of Albany Timber Twirlers, Corvallis Square Dancers, Lebanon Square Circlers, and Sweet Home Squarenaders, are hosting. Everyone is invited to join the fun. Calling will be Bruce Lowther and Shaun McKamey; cuers are Sandy Harris and Sandra Pinion.
Fran Westphal
December 13 (2nd Sat)Our November 8 dance was a Tailgate theme. Decorations of school flags, shirts, and tailgate snacks were specified.
Our lessons continue with 11-14 new dancers in attendance and angels to assist.
Marilyn
December 13 (2nd Sat)
We are dark December 20, but we would like to invite you to join us at an ALLIANCE (Corvallis Squares, Sweet Home Squarenaders, Lebanon Square Circlers, and Albany Timber Twirlers) New Year’s Eve Grand Ball dance on December 31! We will start with a sit-down Italian Dinner (potluck) at 6:15 p.m. and will drop the ball at 9:00 p.m. Ball gowns and men’s formal wear are admired but not required! Otherwise, our regular program has us start dancing at 6:30 p.m. with Plus, Pre-Rounds at 6:45 p.m. and Mainstream from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m. (every third tip Plus). For details, please visit: www.lebanonsquarecirclers.com.
Kaynor Heineck
December 6 (1st Sat)
December 12 (2nd Fri)
December 31 (5th Wed)
At our October meeting we set a date for a round dance event in August 2026. It will be in Springfield at the Emerald Dance Center Friday evening and all day Saturday, utilizing both halls available. Tami Helms and Tim Keck have been selected as co-chairs since they have experience in this kind of event. We look forward to many round dancers to come and participate and learn while there. One workshop will gear toward newer cuers to boost their confidence level and encourage their endeavors.
Marilyn
We are still working on various rhythms and working on trouble spots as they show up when dancing. It is always good to make improvements in our dancing. We are so appreciative of Randy’s insight to show us the correct way to do things.
The Sunday waltz class has gotten smaller but that was to be expected. Those that are still with us are having fun. We have finished the phase 2 listing and have made it through some phase 3 moves that are often included in some phase 2 music. We are entertaining doing a phase 3 class for the phase 2 dancers that are ready to move up a level. Either cha, rumba, or waltz. Just need to decide for February or September.
Marilyn
Our third Friday Dance in November was a FREE Dance, sponsored by our long-time member Harriet Livingston. She wanted to thank all the dancers for many years of friendship and fun.
December 5 is our New Dancer Dance, with Resale Clothing available, December 19 is our Christmas Dance, and December 31 is our New Year's Eve Dance.
Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving to All. We are grateful and thankful to all dancers for the continued support of this great activity.
Sheila Machado
December 5 (1st Fri)
December 19 (3rd Fri)
We've had recent visitations to Salem Swingin' Stars and Whirl-A-Ways, and we are planning more. See you at a dance soon.
Petrina Buchheit
Timber Twirlers hope you have a wonderful Holiday Season no matter how you celebrate.
Judy
December 14 (2nd Sun)
Our next PAC dance will be January 30, 2026. We’ll dance from 7-9:30 at the Oak Grove Community Hall, 14496 SE Cedar Ave., Oak Grove.
Our December 3 dance will be called by Darrell Kalmbach, and cued by the talented Tami Helms. On December 17, our caller will be Terry Halley. And again our cuer will be Tami Helms. We will be raffling lots of yummy “Sweets & Treats.” Let us do some of your holiday baking!!!
We will be dark on December 31 for New Year’s Eve. But, we’d love to have you join us for our “Black & White Ball” on January 7. That night, our caller will be Darrell Kalmbach, and our cuer will be Tami Helms.
Come dance with us at Abernethy Grange, 15745 S Harley Ave. in Oregon City, OR. You can find us on Facebook, or call Jay (503) 655-7163 or Melissa (360) 904-7419.
See you soon.
December 3 (1st Wed)
December 17 (3rd Wed)
Just a reminder, Chaps will be dark on Friday, November 21; instead, we will host a New Dancer Jamboree on Sunday, November 23 from 4:30 - 7:30 pm for $10, which includes a Turkey dinner and all the trimmings (see Flyer in the November 2025 OFN under “New Dancer Jamborees”). Angels: do invite your students to come, maybe even carpool, as we anticipate a full hall. Scott Zinser will open the Jamboree with squares, and Dave Cooper (South.Coast Council) is our Cuer. Please come share the fun!
Non-dancers are welcome to join us as well for a $5/dinner charge. The more the merrier!
Another well-attended New Dancer dance is the Tualatin Valley Council (TVC) Jamboree on November 29 from 7 - 9:30 pm ($8 door) at the Kinton Grange in Beaverton. Caller/Cuer are Scott Zinser and Lane Clem. Will we see you there?
We look forward to our upcoming holidays and dances. Chaps dances each first and third Friday. On December 5, Club Caller Scott Zinser opens with Plus at 7:30; Mainstream is at 8, and Julia Buchheit cues between tips. Dec.19 is our Christmas Dance. Lane Clem opens with Rounds at 7:30 pm and Roger Putzler calls 8-10 pm (the floor will determine if we do a Plus tip). Come let us wish you a Merry Christmas!.
Chaps and Petticoats will be dark on January 2, 2026. Be safe! Our only January dance will be an “Elvis” theme on January 16, 2026, with Mark Wheeler; Julie Stiers will cue.
Wishing you a Holly Jolly Christmas and safety into the New Year!
Betty Chipps
December 6 (1st Sat)
December 7 (1st Sun)
December 27 (4th Sat)
Craig Abercrombie called and cued our first Saturday Plus Dance. He had the dancers really thinking with his creative Plus calls! Our club hosted its second session of lessons with 18 new people signing up on the first night. Ten students returned from our first session of lessons along with five dancers coming back after being absent this past year. Woohoo!
Lessons continue on Mondays with Plus at 6:30 and Basic/Mainstream at 7:30. Looks like a great group will be there and our club is truly blessed to have so many angels helping!
December will find the Happy Hoppers dancing on the 6th and 20th. December 6 is a Plus Dance with Rounds; December 20 will be a Mainstream dance with some Plus and Rounds. Craig Aberrombie promises a super time filled with holiday cheer. Dance times are 7:00-9:30.
We will be having our second Beginner Dance on Monday, December 22. Plus lessons will take place at 6:30, followed by the Beginner Dance from 7:30-9:00. Happy Hoppers encourage all clubs to bring their new and seasoned dancers to join in the fun celebration. Social time will follow with yummy treats!
Many of our dancers may visit and travel to other clubs and dances through the holidays. We send our warm wishes to all.
See you dancing ... Denise and Roz Buddenberg
December 6 (1st Sat)
December 20 (3rd Sat)
Our club planned a visitation on November 15 to Happy Hoppers. The visitation happened after our OFN deadline, but I’m sure they had a great time. Our first November dance was small but everyone danced and had a good time. We are hoping for a better attendance at our dance on November 22.
We will be dancing on December 13 (Cookie Bake-off Dance) and 27 and look forward to seeing past and new friends at our dances. The dances start at 7:00 pm with Plus and 7:30-9:30 Mainstream with rounds.
Our caller and cuer, Darrell Kalmbach and Tami Helms, will be calling and cueing the Tualatin Valley Council’s New Year’s Eve dance, December 31st at the IOOF Hall in Hillsboro. There will be a ham dinner at 6:00 PM, 7:00-7:30 Plus with Rounds and 7:30-9:30 Mainstream and Rounds with every third tip Plus; $8 and optional tip for dinner.
December 13 (2nd Sat)
December 27 (4th Sat)
We’ll close out 2025 with our Don We Now Our Gay Apparel social dance on Saturday, December 13. Janienne (Alexander) Kellogg will be calling. We will alternate Mainstream and Plus tips from 7-9:30 at Oak Grove Community Hall, 14496 SE Cedar Ave., Oak Grove. Door for this dance is $5.
We’ll start 2026 with our Black and White Ball on January 10, with Seattle Sensation Stephen Cole calling. Lots of clubs have Black and White Balls now, but the Ramblers were among the first, and we really do it up! Check us out at Oak Grove, alternating Mainstream and Plus tips from 7-9:30 pm. Door is $5.
We had a very successful membership drive for 2026. We have 66 members, which is the most we’ve had in many years. Our social media promotions have been really successful, plus we’ve worn out the old shoe leather with posters at local businesses, demonstrations, and free tastes. We’ve got a fantastic group—come visit us sometime!
SYIAS!
Jeff Knapp
December 13 (2nd Sat)
Our next dances will be in January; with the Pajamarama on January 18th and our 5th Friday Council dance on January 30th.
Happy Dancing!
New SSD classes should start in early January, and our SSD class should be graduating soon. We have a club meeting soon, and then I can update that information.
We hope everyone's classes are going well and that everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Happy Dancing!
December 6 (1st Sat)
December 20 (3rd Sat)
December 5 (1st Fri)
December 7 (1st Sun)
December 13 (2nd Sat)
December 31 (5th Wed)
The meeting began with a review of future dance events, during which it was decided
that the Halloween dance for 2026 would be canceled. The dance was originally scheduled for October 31st, but due to potential conflicts with date for the dance being on Halloween Day, it was agreed that canceling the event was indicated.
A significant portion of the meeting focused on the council's participation at the Mid Winter Festival. Several members discussed strategies to ensure a strong presence at the festival and ways to encourage more involvement from local clubs. The council is currently working on making arrangements to represent the Tualatin Valley region effectively during the event.
Another key topic was the upcoming Medical Training Seminar. It was noted that the council needs representation from clubs at the seminar. This training is vital for the safety and preparedness of all participants, especially considering the number of individuals involved in square dancing and related activities. It was stressed that having club representatives attend would be essential to ensure that everyone is well-informed and prepared.
In addition to event planning, the council is also working on launching a BottleDrop donation program. The goal of this program is to raise funds for the Council through bottle recycling. Further details on how clubs and individuals can get involved in this program will be shared soon.
Finally, President Duyck acknowledged that all club reporters continue 100% reporting to the OFN (Oregon Federation News) monthly publication. This strong communication ensures that the broader community is kept up to date on the TVC dancing events and news.
The meeting concluded with President Duyck thanking everyone for their dedication and efforts in supporting the Tualatin Valley Council and its activities. The next meeting will be Monday, November 24, at 7 pm via Zoom. The Meeting ID and Passcode will be sent with the Agenda.
The Council is delighted to report the annual Seaside Sashay was a success. This event is co-sponsored by two Council clubs, Hayshakers and Sunset Promenaders. Although the dance at the Turnaround had to be cancelled due to weather, all other events took place as planned with over 225 happy dancers. Ray Brendzy and Darrell Kalmbach shared the calling duties for the weekend while Tami Helms provided the cueing.
Since the OFN is published about the 20th of the month, you still have time to plan on attending the TVC 5th Saturday dance on November 29th. In keeping with the Tri-Council's interest in supporting beginning dancers, the TVC will be having a "New Dancer Jamboree". This is to be a level 48 Mainstream dance featuring Scott Zinser calling and Lane Clem cueing. It will be held at the Kinton Grange with pre-rounds at 7pm, Plus at 7:15, followed by level 48 Mainstream with single rounds between tips from 7:30 to 9:30pm.
The next TVC event will be our New Year’s Eve dance at the IOOF Hall, Hillsboro with Darrell Kalmbach calling and Tami Helms cueing. The format will be: 7:00 to 7:15 pm, Rounds, 7:15 to 7:30 pm, Plus, and 7:30 to 9:30 pm, Mainstream with every 3rd tip Plus. A ham dinner will be served at 6 pm before the dancing. We will have a short break from dancing at 9:00 pm to celebrate New Years along with Eastern Time zone.
Ferrous Steinka
December 31 (5th Wed)
We are averaging three squares of students in our lessons on Sunday evening and with angel help are really moving along nicely.
December regular dances are on the 5th and the 19th, and then, with Adam Christman and Craig Abercrombie at the Grange on New Year's Eve again.
If we do not see you before the holidays, from our club to yours, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Nick Johnson
December 5 (1st Fri)
December 19 (3rd Fri)
About half of our club (nearly three squares) traveled to the annual Seaside Sashay Festival. It may have been windy and rainy, but nothing could dampen our spirits, lively dancing and great company made for a fantastic time.
Back at home, we held our Annual Halloween Dance on October 27th. Costumes ranged from spooky to silly, and many danced in festive fall colors, a “boo-tiful” afternoon full of laughter, candy, and fancy footwork!
Just a few days later, on October 30th, a large group of members attended a special local dance featuring Tony Oxendine and Darrell Kalmbach. Their energy kept everyone spinning, smiling, and having a wonderful evening.
Looking ahead, we’re jingling our bells in anticipation of our Christmas Dance in December, a great way to end the year on a high note (and maybe work off a few Christmas cookies).
Just a reminder: we follow Beaverton and Portland School District weather closures. If either district cancels classes due to weather, we’ll stay home too. No driving on the ice, thank you!
You are welcome to join us for Plus with Phase II and III Rounds at the Aloha Grange every Monday afternoon from 1:00 to 3:00. For current dancing information, please see our website at https://EagerBeavers.info. (see link above).
See you on the dance floor, rain or shine!
Alice Hendricks
December 1 (1st Mon)
December 15 (3rd Mon)
December 22 (4th Mon)
December 29 (5th Mon)
A big thanks to Ray Brendzy, Darrell Kalmbach, and Tami Helms, who did the calling and cueing, keeping everyone moving, and smiling, all weekend. And yes, many prizes were won, proving that a little luck can go a long way when you’re twirling in the rain.
Back home, the HayShakers continue the fun every Sunday at 5:00 pm at the Pacific Grange on Hwy 101, halfway between Seaside and Astoria. Mark Wheeler keeps the music lively, making sure everyone from beginners to seasoned dancers has a good time.
Our Basic 1 lessons run from 5:00 to 7:00 pm, followed by a fifteen-minute Plus practice. On the fourth Sunday of the month, we celebrate with a class level dance followed by a potluck dinner, because nothing fuels fancy footwork like casseroles and cookies!
Whether it’s braving rainy festival weekends or mastering a new call, the HayShakers know how to dance, laugh, and make memories, one spin at a time.
Craig Holt
On October 25th we all headed west for the annual Seaside Sashay. The drive was lovely with the fall colors contrasting with the green. However an atmospheric river was lurking and came hurling on shore. There was over 3” of rain for the weekend but that didn’t dampen the dancing. The Hoedowners joined in at both the outlet mall and the Seaside Convention Center. Saturday night we gathered for dinner at the Twisted Fish and later, after the dance, we had a get together at the Laas’ home. Hope you had a chance to join us.
In December on the 13th, we’ll hold our Christmas Dance and on December 27th we’ll be having our Sparkle Dance so breakout the sequins and rhinestones!
Krystal Laas
December 13 (2nd Sat)
December 27 (4th Sat)
Lindie Noonan
Several members attended the Seaside Sashay and reported having a wonderful time. A rainy weekend did not put a damper on the spirit of the event, and dancers came back to encourage more people to attend out of town dances.
On October 27th the Rec Center came alive with spirits, ghosts, lights, and awesome decorations. Everyone in the club pitched in to make our Boo Ball memorable. A Witches Brew Punch set the mood with dry ice forming a bubbly cauldron, complete with floating eyeballs to "catch your eye ". Sweet and savory snacks were provided by members and we had a lovely social time as we took a break from dancing. Door prizes were awarded to the lucky few who found a star under their seat.
Everyone dressed in costume or Halloween attire, and a number of prizes were awarded for the best couples costumes. Some favorites were Princess Bride and Westley, a pair of ice cream vendors in aprons and hats, a pair of Spice Girls, two Dancing Penguins, authentic German hikers in original lederhosen & hats, a 50's waitress and her husband, coach of Green Bay Packers, a beautiful ballroom dancer in sparkle and sequins, Hawaiian dancer, and several pumpkins. Caller Mark Wheeler donned his Elvis costume which always brings laughter as he imitates Elvis in his calls. More costumes filled the hall and we truly had an old fashioned Halloween.
The Oak Hills Squares are getting into the spirit this month with two holiday dances planned! Join us on December 15th for our Festive Sweater Dance, featuring Mark Wheeler calling and Lane Clem cueing. Wear your most cheerful (or most outrageous!) holiday sweater and come ready for plenty of laughter and great dancing. See flyer below.
We’ll continue the celebration on December 22nd with a Christmas Themed Dance, again with Mark Wheeler calling. It’s sure to be a joyful evening filled with holiday music, friends, and fun.
Please note that the club will be dark on December 29th as we take a short break for the holidays.
Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season and happy dancing from all of us at Oak Hills Squares!
Lynne Fonner
December 15 (3rd Mon)
This past October we held one dance on October 10th. It was our Halloween Dance. Several Dancers wore Costumes and it was a fun event. We were dark for the second dance for all to attend the Seaside Sashay.
Our President created a flyer with all the Evergreen Council clubs highlighting the dances being held throughout our region.
For additional information check us out on Facebook and Instagram, or see our website: https://r-square-d.info/. (see link above)
Susan Fowler
December 12 (2nd Fri)• October fourth had the Sunset Promenaders celebrating their 40th Anniversary. The Club had a full Lasagna Dinner at 6:30 PM. Darrell and Tami were the Caller and Cuer for a Mainstream dance following the meal. We had about 60 dancers for the meal and dance to help us celebrate. There were door prizes during the dance. A whole lot of memories since starting in1985. We appreciated all the visitors that came to the dance and helped us celebrate the anniversary. Thank you.
• The Sunset Promenaders and the Hay Shaker clubs put on the Seaside Sashay on October 24th and 25th and it was a success. Ray Brendzy from Canada and Darrell Kalmbach from Portland called with Tami Helms as the cuer. The weather outside was wet but the people inside enjoyed the dance. It was a good crowd of people.
December Club Activities:
• Of course, it is December and Christmas, and the Sunset Promenaders are looking forward to celebrating! We will shop, but mostly we are planning to dance. We have a Plus Dance on Thursday December 4thand another on the 18th. On Saturday, the 6th we have a Mainstream Dance. Then we have our annual Christmas Cookie Contest Dance on Saturday the 20th with a challenge to see who can make the best Cookies for the break time, with prizes for the best.
• The Sunset Promenaders is hosting the TVC New Years Eve Dinner Dance on Wednesday the 31st in the Hillsboro Odd Fellows Hall. With dinner before the dance.
• The Sunset Promenaders is wishing everyone a wonderful December and a Happy New Years. Long live Square Dance; it is the season to celebrate (carefully).
We enjoy visitors, and we invite dancers to visit us both at our Plus Dances on the first, third, and fifth Thursdays and the Mainstream Dances on first and second Saturdays, all at Hillsboro’s Odd Fellows Hall at Third and Main upstairs {elevator available). The dance hall has a great wood dance floor.
For current information, please see our website: https://sunsetpromenaders.com/. (see link above)
Tom & Janice Sminia
December 4 (1st Thu)
December 6 (1st Sat)
December 18 (3rd Thu)
December 20 (3rd Sat)
Although we hosted only one Tri Squares dance in October due to the grange being unavailable on our regular second-dance night, the break offered many of our dancers a wonderful chance to visit Valley Squares on October 18th.
Our October 24th dance was a lively Halloween-themed event, complete with festive costumes, special guests, and spooky-sweet holiday treats enjoyed by all.
Looking ahead, we’re wrapping up the year with three great dances:
• November 28th – “Fall into Fun” Dance: Celebrate Black Friday by wearing something that reflects your favorite hobby or sports team!
• December 12th – Holiday Dance: Wear red and green or other festive attire.
• December 26th – “Snowflake Ball” Dance: Wear something that represents a favorite pastime — it’s a fun way to close out the year!
All dances are held at the Kinton Grange in Beaverton, starting at 7:00 PM with Rounds and Plus, followed by Mainstream at 7:30 PM. We hope to see you there to share in the holiday spirit and plenty of laughter!
Our members are looking forward to our annual White Elephant & Christmas Party on December 14th at Royal Panda in Bridgeport.
May your twirls be merry and your angels plentiful. We’d love to see you at a Tri Squares event soon!
Renee Ramig
December 12 (2nd Fri)
December 26 (4th Fri)
Just two weeks later, on October 18th, it was time for “It’s Apple Pie Time”. Apple pie made a grand appearance, and our dancers didn’t disappoint with a perfect blend of spinning, twirling, and sneaking an extra slice.
Several members also ventured out to the Seaside Sashay Festival later in October. Rain, wind, or ocean breezes didn’t stop our club from dancing, laughing, and enjoying the festival, proving once again that a little moisture only makes dancers more slippery on the floor (and maybe the ocean too).
Looking ahead, our Friday, December 5th dance will be extra special: we’ll be helping the Aloha Grange Christmas Family with cash donations. It’s the perfect way to share some holiday cheer while showing off those fancy footwork skills.
Then, on Saturday, December 13th, get ready for our “Merry Christmas” dance! Bring your festive spirit, your dancing shoes, and maybe an extra ounce of sugar, you’ll need it to keep up with all the holiday fun.
Carolene Siebert
December 5 (1st Fri)
A few helpful reminders for members and visitors: the Senior Center is located at 316 Stillwell Avenue, on the corner of 4th and Stillwell. There is no on-site parking and very little street parking, but the large Safeway parking lot directly across the street works well for most dancers.
Please note that the WaveSteppers will be dark during the weeks of Christmas and New Year’s, so we can all enjoy the holidays with family and friends. Dancing will resume the following Tuesday.
We look forward to seeing everyone back on the floor in the New Year for more spins, steps, and smiles!
For up to date information see: https://wavesteppers.org. (See above link)
Lynda Sherman
December 2 (1st Tue)